Machine



/ (No Model.) G. B. KOON.

- SPEED RECORDING MACHINE.

No. 269,296. Patented De0.19, 1882.

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CHARLES B. KOON, OF LINCOLN, NEBRASKA.

SPEED-RECORDING MACHlNE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 269,296, dated December19, 1882.

Application filed February 2, 1882.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES B. KOON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Lincoln, in the county of Lancaster and State of Nebraska,have invented a new and useful speedliecording Machine, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in machines for recording the speedof railroadcars, (although applicable to other machinery,) in which thecentrifugal force of weights revolving rapidly around a shaft is used,in connection with rods and other devices, to operate a suitableindicator and recorder; and the objects of my improvements are, first,to combine with ash-aft weights adapted to slide upon guide-rods awayfrom said shaft by the centrifugtfl force derived from its motion, andbe restrained by a coiled spring connected with the weights by means offlexible connections; second, to combine with the main shaft a loosesleeve, a guide-rod, and a flexible connection secured to the markingdevice; third, to combine with the main shaft and operating device ofthe speed-recorder tightening-pulleys provided with a yieldingspring-connection, for the purpose hereinafter described. I attain theseobjects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawing,representing in elevation a portion of a railroad-car containing myspeed-recording apparatus and connected with the axle of the car. i

In said drawing, A represents the car-bed,

to which is secured a vertical hollow frame, A,containingorsupportingnearly all the component parts of the apparatus.Within the frame A the shaft B is retained vertically in bearings a anda, so that its lower end projects through the floor of the carsufficiently to receive a pulley, b, by which means it can be rotated,said pulley I) being connected by means of an endless belt or chain, c,with a pulley, d, keyed or otherwise secured to the car-axle I). To keepthe chain calways tight, whatever may be the load placed on the car, andconsequently whatever may be the relative and variable distance betweenthe axle and the bottom of the car, the chain 0 passes over a pair ofcompensating or tension pulleys, O, that are kept in closecontact withthe chain by means of a spring, 0, by which they are suspended from thebottom of the car. The

(No model.)

shaft B is provided with a shoulder, upon which rests the collar B, thelatter carrying suspended therefrom the spring e,c0iled around thisshaft. From the lower end of the spring cis suspended the double-flangesleevef, fitting loosely upon 1heshaftB,andto thelower portion of thisflanged sleeve f are attached two cords, chains, or other flexibleconnections, g, having secured to their lower extremities two balls, 9,of suitable weigh t. These balls or weights are bored through theircenters and rest upon horizontal rods h, projecting out from two sidesof a sleeve, 1', secured to the shaft, and this sleeve i carries twoguide-pulleys, 1, under which the chains or cords 1 pass between thesleeve fand the balls g.

To one side of the frame A is retained vertically in bearings (4attached to said frame, a rod, is, carrying at or adjoining its lowerend, upon its bent portion 70, a friction-roller, k adapted to rotatebetween the flanges of the sleevef and follow its up and down motions.To the upper end of the rod 7a is attached a cord, K, that passes over aguide-pulley, I, pivoted to an arm, L, standing upon the top ofthe frameA. After passing over the pulley l the cord K takes a horizontaldirection, and has its extremity secured to one side of thepencil-carrier m, while upon the opposite side of said pencil-carrier isattached one end of a cord connected with a weight, or a light coiledspring, m, that retains the cord K under constant tension, the oppositeend of the spring at being secured at m to the side of the ear or tosome other part of the frame. The pencil projecting from the under sideof the carrier at rests upon the surface of suitablyruled paper coiledaround or carried over a drum, a, to which a slow rotary motion istransmitted, as follows: To the upper end of the shaftB is keyed awornnp, that meshes with a worm-gear, q, upon the horizontal shaft Q,and this shaft carries a worm, q, (shown by dotted circle,) that mesheswith the wormgear r upon the shaft 9' of the drum n, the shafts Q, and ibeing supported in suitable bearings for that purpose, When the deviceis in operation the truck-wheels revolve the axle and pulley 1.) d, andthe latter revolve the vertical shaft B more or less rapidly, accordingto the speed of the train. This shaft- 13 carries with it in itsrevolutions the transverse rods h and the balls upon said rods. Theseballs, being forced by-centrifugal force away from the shaft, pull, bymeans of the connection 9, the sleeve fdownward against the resistanceofthe spring 6. The rod 70 follows the descent of the sleevef, and themarking-pencil m progresses toward the middle of the roller a, while thelatter revolves slowly, and thus various and easily-understoodpencil-tracks are made upon the paper that may be placed upon the drumn. The spring 0 being shown upon the main shaft above the sleeve f, theaction of centrifugal force upon the balls 9 will expand it; but it maybe placed under the sleeve 1 fand the latter be made to compress itwhile the car moves at a high speed.

The shaft B may be made hollow and the rod 75 be placed within it, andits bent extremity, passing through a longitudinal slot therein, maystill be made to engage with a single or double flange sleeve, as shownatf, when the rod is is on one side.

Having now fully described my invention, 1 claim- 1. The combination ofa vertical shaft having a coiled spring thereon, and a sleeve united torevolving weights by means of flexible connections passing aroundpulleys, with a rod connected at one end with the sleeve upon the shaft,and at the other with a flexible connection attached to a pencil-holderor marking device, and a spring or weight secured to the pencil-holder,substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. In a speedrecorder, the combination of a railway-car and its axlewith a vertical shaft having a sleeve connected with a marking de vice,a coiled spring on the shaft, flexible connections and weights adaptedto revolve therewith, a pulley upon the lower end of said shaft, and achain or belt connecting it with the axle, with a pair of pulleys, U,sustained by a spring pivotally secured to the bottom of the car,substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. The combination of a vertical shaft, a coiled spring thereon,guide-rods h, and sliding weights flexibly connected with sleeve f uponthe shaft, with worms 1) q, worm-wheels q r, a markingdevice connectedwith the sleeve f, and a horizontal shaft carrying a drum, substantiallyas and for the purposes described.

CHARLES B. KOON.

Witnesses:

WM. R. KELLY, O. O. BURR.

